Paid Regenerative Ranching and Farming Apprenticeships

Applications Due December 1st, 2019

The Quivira Coalition’s New Agrarian Program (NAP) partners with skilled ranchers and farmers to offer paid, full-immersion paid regenerative ranching and farming apprenticeships. NAP mentors are dedicated stewards of the land; they practice regenerative methods of food or fiber production, provide excellent animal care, and are skilled and enthusiastic teachers.

These paid regenerative ranching and farming apprenticeships are full-time, intensive education & professional training opportunities, 50-60 hours a week, varying with the demands of season, weather, plant and animal needs. The New Agrarian Program seeks applicants committed to lives in regenerative agriculture, enough experience to know what it takes to work on the land, and an excellent work ethic. Applicants must be motivated self-starters, have the ability to work independently, be prepared to work long days outside in variable conditions; be solid problem solvers; and embrace diversity and teamwork. The selected applicants will be mature individuals, excited to engage in their own learning process. 

In 2019, we are offering a number of paid regenerative ranching and farming apprenticeships including:

Arrowpoint Cattle (Nathrop, CO)

quiviracoalition.org/arrowpoint-cattle

Arrowpoint Cattle is a family owned and operated cattle ranch specializing in grass-fed/grass finished Highland beef and weed free hay production. Cow calf pairs are grazed at Badger Creek Ranch in the summer while the two year olds finish out on the lush grass of the valley at Arrowpoint.  Arrowpoint offers NAP apprenticeships which run March to November 2019. Apprentices will experience working cattle, irrigation, planned grazing, stockmanship, horsemanship and haying.

Badger Creek Ranch (Cañon City, CO)

quiviracoalition.org/badger-creek/

Badger Creek ranch is a working cattle and guest ranch at 9,000 feet, 45 minutes from Salida.  Cow calf pairs are grazed at Badger Creek Ranch in the summer while the two year olds finish out on the lush grass of the valley at Arrowpoint. Apprentices will experience working cattle, irrigation, planned grazing, stockmanship, horsemanship and educating guests that visit Badger Creek Ranch in the summer.

Barthelmess Ranch, Malta, Montana

quiviracoalition.org/barthelmess

The Barthelmess Ranch is a multispecies grazing operation producing commodity feeder cattle, feeder lambs, cull livestock, and wool. Apprentice with multiple generations of the family, gaining experience in lambing, calving, grazing, range monitoring, fencing, stockmanship, branding, haying and more.

Cobblestone Ranch (Los Molinos, CA)

quiviracoalition.org/cobblestone

The Cobblestone Ranch is a sheep and cattle operation based on private property and on federal wildlife refuge lands. Breanna Owens uses rotational grazing with the overall goal of maintaining and enhancing wildlife habitat and specific goals of reducing thatch, shrub and weed control, and stimulating new herbaceous growth. **Apply ASAP!  This apprenticeship runs November 2018 – June 2019 **

Indian Ridge Farm, Norwood, CO

quiviracoalition.org/indian-ridge

Indian Ridge Farm, located at 7,000 feet in elevation, is a 120-acre diversified seasonal farm operation with 3000 organically raised, grass-fed pastured poultry, 300 layer hens, 150 turkeys, dairy goats, horses, vegetable garden, greenhouse, bees and hay pasture. The farm is situated outside Norwood, Co., about 36 miles west of Telluride. We run one of the only state approved processing plants in Colorado and raise the birds from chicks to market. This is a pastured poultry apprenticeship with the opportunity to transition into a managerial salaried position and/or possible long-term lease agreement. The apprentice will acquire the skills in poultry and other livestock management, composting, poultry processing, and marketing.

James Ranch Artisan Cheese, Durango, CO

quiviracoalition.org/jrac

James Ranch Artisan Cheese manages a small herd of Jersey cows for the production of raw milk and small-batch cheeses in the beautiful Animas Valley near Durango, Colorado as one of several family-run enterprises on the larger James Ranch. This dairy and cheesemaking apprenticeship offers professional training for aspiring agrarians committed to a life and career at the intersection of conservation, sustainable agriculture, and artisan foods. The apprenticeship includes hands-on experience with all aspects of dairy operation and cheese production, including low-stress animal handling, milking, cheese making, affinage, biological monitoring, marketing, financial planning, Holistic Management, and land stewardship.

Mannix Brothers Ranch, Helmville, MT

quiviracoalition.org/mannix

Mannix Brothers is a family-owned ranch raises cow calf pairs, their own stockers, and grass-finished beef in Montana’s Blackfoot Valley. The ranch practices intensive rotational grazing on much of the irrigated ground, usually moving cattle every 1-4 days, and trying to allow adequate rest before returning. Apprentices will work from March through October and will gain experience in calving, rotational grazing, haying, irrigating and more.

Ranney Ranch, Corona, NM

quiviracoalition.org/ranney-ranch

The Ranney Ranch is a family owned cow-calf ranching operation that sits at 6200’ in the high mesa country of central New Mexico.  The ranch sells young, range-finished beef direct to consumers who value how their food choices impact the environment. The ranch is AGA (American Grassfed Association), AWA (Animal Welfare Approved), Audubon Bird-Friendly Beef certified, and has been marketing 100% grassfed/grassfinished beef since 2003. Currently, the ranch runs a herd of approximately 200 mother cows. The Ranney Ranch team is committed to the ecologic, financial, and family health of the Ranney Ranch and to the health of the Corona ranching community.  

Richards Land and Cattle, Oregon House, CA

quiviracoalition.org/richards

Richards Ranch is located in Oregon House, Ca along the Yuba River and about 1.5 hours from Sacramento, Ca. The ranch is 6500 acres of rangeland and used to graze our 500+ cows and 150+ sheep herd. Their sister company Richards Grassfed Beef is where they send finished animals for processing and then distribution to butcher shops, restaurants and families throughout the greater Sacramento and San Francisco Bay Area. The ranch is American Grassfed certified and partners with Point Blue Conservation and the Savory Institute on monitoring. Apprentices will gain experience with rotational grazing, fencing, marketing and working with cattle through the entire system.

Round River Resource Management (Rush, CO)

quiviracoalition.org/roundriver

Round River Resource Management LLC is a land resource and livestock management company run by Louis Martin dedicated to restoring and improving agricultural operations through the principles of Holistic Management in a sustainable manner and consistent with the goals of the resource owner.  Round River manages holistic cattle grazing on large acreage in partnership with The Nature Conservancy and the Colorado State land board.

Triangle P Cattle Company (Mescalero, NM)

quiviracoalition.org/triangle-p

Triangle P Cattle Company runs yearlings and mother cows on 100,000 acres near Ruidoso, New Mexico and elsewhere on leased ranches throughout the southwest. Applicants should be competent riding horses independently and should have some experience with cattle, general ranch chores, and living remotely. Apprentices will learn about range based cattle operation, including intensive pasture management, holistic planning, intentional stockmanship,animal husbandry, herding,  land stewardship, cattle marketing, risk management and business planning.

Trout Stalker Ranch, Chama, NM

quiviracoalition.org/apprenticeships

This 1500 acre ranch, located in northern New Mexico at the southern tip of the Rocky Mountains in the Chama Valley, is a relaxed, high end fishing guest ranch focused in land conservation practices. It is home to a variety of rare wildlife and birds, as well as a bison herd, Scottish Highlander herd, Mangalitsa pigs and BLM burros and horses used to offer trail rides and off ranch excursions to guests. Preferred applicants will have at least intermediate horseback riding skills and must be prepared to live in a small town. The apprenticeship will provide hands-on experience working cattle, bison, horses, burros and pigs; day to day animal chores, ranch projects, upkeep and event staff; natural horsemanship and backcountry wrangler skills.

Vilicus Farms (Havre, MT)

quiviracoalition.org/vilicus-farms

Vilicus Farms is a nationally recognized organic, dryland crop farm located in northern Montana. Vilicus Farms grows a diverse array of heirloom and specialty grains, pulse, oilseed and broadleaf crops within a 7+year rotation on 8,200 acres. In 2019 Vilicus Farms will be the first Bee Better certified farm in Montana , and is pursuing biodynamic certification. In addition to the 8 month New Agrarian apprenticeship, they offer a 2 year Registered Apprenticeship with funding to support a veteran’ s salary.  

*More paid regenerative ranching and farming apprenticeships will be posted later this fall at quiviracoalition.org/newagrarian*

COMPENSATION

Compensation for the paid regenerative ranching and farming apprenticeships includes a monthly stipend, housing, partial board, Holistic Management International beginning rancher/farmer trainings, and registration, travel and lodging for the Quivira Coalition conference and our apprentice orientation.

TO APPLY

Each opportunity offered through the New Agrarian Program is unique. To learn about each of the paid regenerative ranching and farming apprenticeships, visit the New Agrarian Program at quiviracoalition.org/newagrarian. Apply online by December 1 at quiviracoalition.org/newagrarian/apply

If you have further questions, email newagrarian@quiviracoalition.org